


Fourth Chance... or Was it Third?

by SetsunaNoroi



Category: Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616
Genre: Blowjobs, F/M, Getting Back Together, Loving Sex, Oral, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-01
Updated: 2015-05-01
Packaged: 2018-03-26 16:49:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3857917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SetsunaNoroi/pseuds/SetsunaNoroi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set during Hawkeye (2012-present). After a bad fight to help a girl he had a one night stand with and being dumped by Jessica Drew, Clint Barton only wants to sleep. He didn't plan on his former wife dropping by or learning she still hasn't been able to let him go. It would be foolish to ask her to come back to him, but when has he ever thought things through? Slight smut and feels</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fourth Chance... or Was it Third?

**Author's Note:**

> So, I've been reading a lot of Clint Barton comics lately. Ever since I was a kid, I was a big fan of his, probably because he was one of the few Avengers who didn't have radically shifting powers. I read the West Coast Avengers and other Marvel comics and giggled whenever something really crazy would happen like a whole building falling over when the Hulk would crash into it or the Scarlet Witch's power effectiveness would fluctuate wildly depending on the story she was in. (Seriously, she goes from being an all powered god to being so wimpy the butler could have kicked her butt and back again. It's both funny and weird.) Yet here was Clint and his wife just as normal as can be, both worried and slightly pleased knowing despite their lack of powers they could still kick butt and save lives.
> 
> Hawkeye is always a marksman, deaf or even blind. He's still awesome, but human. He's good at something he's dedicated his whole life to and I don't have to ever worry about him flipping out and being able to force all of New York into gladiatorial death matches through sheer bad-assery and stupidity. (Seriously, Marvel? Why was Banner even let back on the Avengers after that? Does everyone in your universe have short term memory loss? Well?) He's the everyman who makes mistakes and has to pay for them, but they're little mistakes most of the time. When he messes up it's in his own life and it doesn't mean half a state will get blown up or time will be rewritten. Usually it's just being late on rent or screwing up a relationship.
> 
> It might be one of the reasons I like the idea of Clint and Bobbi together so much. Like him, she's a character I can really enjoy. She's sweet but passionate, tough with her willingness to let the bad guys just die when they really deserve it, but never loses her spirit of adventure die. I cried when I read her death at the hands of Mephisto and was honestly shocked and happy when she was revealed alive during the Secret Invasion comics, and I usually don't go crazy for retcons because it can get a little bit confusing at times remembering what has and hasn't happened to people in these books.
> 
> I've actually been out of Marvel for some of the main story line so some details might not match up. Civil War left a very bad taste in my mouth and it's been hard to get back into it ever since. However, I've been keeping up with Clint and I'm pleased to see he hasn't changed much. He's still smug, still a sweet smart ass who cares about the people around him, and he's very much a bad ass without being overpowered. So I decided he needed a fic. This will probably be a one shot, unless of course inspiration strikes me and I decide to stretch it out longer. However, I do have other fics on the back burner I want to get back to after my year long break and some I'm just now starting up, so this might be safer as a one shot. We'll see.
> 
> Point of reference, this takes place around Hawkeye # 7 and 8. Basically Clint gets dragged into some trouble due to a woman, a woman he bangs while in a sort of relationship with Spider-Woman that he's not even sure he wants to continue. Suffice to say, when this woman shows up again it all gets out in the open in front of Natasha, Bobbi and Jessica and they all set about handling it all out in their own way, Bobbi and Jessica even showing up at his apartment to discuss relationship statuses while he feels pity for himself. It's almost cute in a kicked puppy sort of way.
> 
> However, I never liked the idea of Bobbi and Clint split up. They're both too involved with one another for me to see him with anyone else. It certainly helps she's the only one who's willing to put up with his issues and vice-versa. Even after splitting, they remain such good friends it's hard to not want them to get back together. So I wrote this. I hope all the other Clint/Bobbi fans enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Fourth Chance... or Was it Third?

When he heard the sharp rap on his door, he didn't want to answer it. Clint Barton didn't have healing powers like Logan or even Wade and he was slightly envious of that. He couldn't count how many times he felt like crap in his life, mostly caused by his phenomenal power to piss people off.

Usually violent people.

Violent people who liked to carry a lot of weapons.

Violent people who liked to carry weapons because they were so good at using them, especially on his non-healing powers body.

He idly wondered if whoever was at his door was one of those people who wanted to use him as a living pinata. No. Last time he checked professional assassins didn't knock and thugs would have busted the door down by now. It could just be someone who wanted to chew him out some more, or if he was really lucky someone who just wanted to say hello.

When he opened the door and saw Bobbi there, he still didn't know which of the last two options it was.

"Oh hell, Clint. What happened to you?" she asked in greeting. He smiled a bit despite himself. It was a good sign she showed concern instead of implying whatever had happened he deserved it. She could be snarky as hell when she was mad and luckily for him it made her pretty easy to read.

"Nothing. Just woke up," he assured her. "What time is it?"

"Ten," she said as she slipped inside and he shut the door behind her. He didn't bother to lock it. She probably wouldn't stay long.

"In the morning?" he asked as he glanced at the window and saw sunlight.

"Yeah."

"It's Saturday?" he continued. He certainly didn't feel rested but maybe he'd slept too long. A whole day in bed would leave someone pretty groggy after all, as strange as that sounded to him.

"No, dummy. It's still Friday," she informed him as she dug around in her bag for something. She rolled her eyes at him and smiled softly. "The 14th of February."

It was a sign how sleep deprived he was that it took a moment to realize just why such a day was so important. Images of bright red flowers and chocolates filled his head, and his wife jumping him the second she saw the roses in his hand. They'd often share the chocolates between moans and heavy panting, along with naughty lingerie and whipped cream while she smirked at him and always inspired him for just one more round. He'd always been a romantic around her and she'd given him a nice reward for remembering every time.

Not that he should think of her that way anymore. They were long since over, mostly because he'd been... well an ass to her. She'd been in such a dark place back then and he hadn't been able to help. It had all gotten so...

No, he wasn't going to think about that right now. He had enough on his plate.

"Happy Valentine's day then," he sighed out. "Christ, that's really today?"

"All day," she assured him with a soft smile.

"Today sucks," he muttered as he moved to the window. "Oh... oh no. Bobbi? Come here for a second."

She moved to his side in an instant and looked out the window when he pointed to a white van, a little too innocent looking for his tastes. His problems with the mob lately. They were so damn stubborn. Really, he'd paid, hadn't he? What did they have to get out of this besides pride?

Then again, pride could go a long way for bad guys. It made them do really stupid things, like drive up to the same spot in a similar white van every time.

"Oh Clint," she sighed, seeing it as well as he did. "What did you do?"

There it was, the little implication this was all his fault. That was what he was used to from his wife.

'Ex-wife,' he reminded himself firmly. 'Ex-wife.'

"I... sort of bought this building when I maybe shouldn't have. I knew it would piss a lot of people off... but I did it anyway because the people here needed it and... well now the people who are pissed off want to take it out on me by taking it out on the people who live here, the people who needed it and I-"

"Clint," she said to cut him off. Her fingers pressed to his lips and she smiled softly. "You're protecting them?"

"Trying very hard to," he said past her fingers. "So far so good."

"By yourself?" she asked, and she arched an eyebrow at him. "You're going to get killed."

"I've been dead before, you know," he replied.

"Okay," she said as she nodded and took her bag off her shoulder and handed it to him. "Hold this. I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" he asked in confusion. "You're not-"

"You've got enough bandages on already, Clint. Let me handle it," she said before she was out the door.

It took less than fifteen minutes for her to come back, and she was soaked to the bone. He looked outside to see if it had begun to rain and he just hadn't noticed. After all, he'd been a little preoccupied with the contents in her purse.

Not that he was some kind of creep that looked in the purses of women when they went to lay the smack down on guys hassling him, but papers with his name had been poking out so he was pretty sure he had the right because it no doubt concerned him. The reason why she'd come to visit had been pretty damning when it stared him right in the face, the divorce papers they'd both agreed to get filed over a very awkward dinner together. Clint really didn't know why it surprised him so much to see it. After all, it's not like this hadn't been coming for a long time. It would have been long over if not for the Skrulls interfering, taking her away just when she'd been on the way to get him to sign the paperwork and put the final end to their relationship. Hard to believe how things turned out because of all of that nonsense.

"I don't think they'll be back any time soon," she said as she ran a hand through her drenched hair, the stylized bundle completely ruined. "Mind if I reward myself with your shower?"

"Sure," he replied with a nod before he held up the papers. "You have a pen I can sign these with?"

She paused for a second before she slowly nodded and dug one out of her coat. It was damp, but still usable.

"I'll be right back," the blond woman repeated before she headed off in the direction he pointed out for the bathroom. This time she took longer, over twice the time that driving them off had taken. He probably should have read the paperwork if he'd known it was going to take so long, instead of scrawling his name and date on all the blank spots that his signature was needed.

"I was beginning to think you got lost in there," he said with a little chuckle as she stood there in his purple bathrobe with little targets all over it. It had been a gag gift from Peter years ago and he'd never had the heart to get rid of it. It looked kind of cute on her too, which was definitely a bad sign. He shouldn't be thinking that way. It was probably because of Jessica. She'd slapped him hard, ended the relationship, and while he'd deserved the second but certainly hadn't appreciated the first. He'd never hit a woman he cared about. Why did she get to do it to him?

Problem was, now he was free from both women. He didn't really know how to feel about it either. Of course he'd messed up, but he didn't really want to be free either. He just didn't want to be trapped. They'd broken up an hour ago and now he was officially divorced, or at least would be when she got the papers turned in and notified.

"I was thinking," she replied before moving towards his kitchen. "Do you mind if I make some coffee?"

"Oh sure. Go ahead," he yawned. He was still pretty tired, and his bed was calling to him. He wanted to go up there and collapse. Would that be rude while she was still drying off? Best not to risk it. "Coffee is in the top cabinet-"

"Just above the pot," she interrupted. "Same habits from the marriage, huh?"

"What can I say? You trained me well."

"Mmmm, in more ways than one, I bet."

The flirting caught him off guard before he told himself he was just imagining it. Bobbi was pretty free sexually and he was exhausted. No doubt it was just her teasing him like always.

"Well, I enjoyed it," he flirted right back. Just because it was teasing didn't mean he couldn't play along.

"Of course you did, hotshot. No one tops me," she said before she sat down with him on his couch that he'd collapsed on already. His head hit the back of it and he shut his eyes, determined to at least let himself rest in some way. Even a little was better than nothing.

"Yeah... no one ever did," he admitted softly. "Probably because we were actually in love."

"You don't love Jessica?" she asked him. Her tone went from teasing to open curiosity so fast he could tell she wasn't playing with him anymore. She just honestly wanted to know.

"I... Sort of. I don't know. I was more into the idea of moving on than anything else. We had this... weird chemistry between us, as you of course saw," he said softly. His eyes were still closed and he was just speaking honestly, much too tired to bother hiding behind any mask or half truth. He'd been married to this woman for years. If anyone could get full blown honesty out of him, Bobbi could. "I didn't trust her because she'd been impersonated by a Skrull, she didn't seem to like me much either, I found her hot, sexual tension rose... You know the drill."

"Oh yeah. I had front row seats to all of it," she muttered. He was a little surprised by the tone.

"Bobbi, you can't be that mad about it. We'd already decided that it was over," he said. "After the mess with Phantom Rider..."

"You decided it was over that time," she stated evenly. "Remember?"

"No, it was you," he corrected.

"No. You left after the fight against Phantom Rider because you felt guilty you almost killed someone."

"Oh shit. Damn it. I was the one to leave that time, didn't I?"

"Yep. Don't feel bad though. I still left first."

"Only because I was an ass," he breathed.

"Clint, you don't have to-"

"No, I was an ass," he insisted. "Jessica was here earlier, you know? She broke up with me, told me I screwed up and I did the same thing to her as I did you, cut out and run the second it got hard."

She snorted and her lips set in a frown.

"Oh, she and I are not even on the same level," she muttered. "You dated her for a few months. We were married. You cheated on her while you got pissed at me I let a man die. Not to mention when she got involved with you, you were still married to me. What did she expect?"

"You're still bitter?" he asked her.

"Damn right I'm bitter. She... well, you honestly expect me to like her?"

"Not really," he admitted. "Our... thing was pretty weird right from the start. You know, I caught her using her pheromones on me a couple times. The type to get someone to like her."

He noticed at the last second her hands clenched into fists in her lap and he immediately knew he'd been dumb to mention that.

"Shit, Bobbi. I didn't mean to bring up something like-"

"She forced you?" she hissed instead, anger flaring up in her eyes. He'd been expecting her to get pissed at him for mentioning it. After all, she had her own bad memories about being drugged into liking someone against her will, about being used. He'd have thought she'd be angry at him for opening up her wounds all over again.

"No. Not really," Clint assured her with a shake of his head. "I noticed of course... though it probably did help influence my decisions about her. Actually, back then I found it cute. Of course I doubt I was thinking clearly right when I was smelling it."

"I bet not. Still... I don't like that she influenced you like that. If you had told me before, I would have..."

"Called it irony?"

"I would have beaten the shit out of her for daring to try to twist your feelings to her favor," she corrected darkly. "No one deserves that kind of thing, Clint. No one. I would have beaten her up even if Phantom Rider hadn't done what he did to me."

"Bobbi..."

"Clint, just shut up and let me feel how I do," she said and he noticed her scoot closer and rest her head on his chest. It felt a little weird with the towel wrapped around her hair and his chest was stinging in pain, but he didn't ask her to move. Instead he crept an arm around her shoulders and held her close.

"Okay," he sighed softly. "Honestly... I don't think I ever said I was sorry for how I reacted back then."

"I didn't know you were sorry."

"I wasn't, not for a long time anyway. We were Avengers back then. Still are now I know, but we'd made a lot less mistakes then. We seemed more moral than we are now I guess. We had a code to live by, and when I learned the truth I was... fuck, I was angry Bobbi. I was angry at myself because I hadn't been able to prevent it, angry because I couldn't fix it, angry at him for doing it, angry at you for not telling me and... Well, it all was pretty fucked up. I mean, after what happened to Carol you think I would have been more sensitive about that sort of shit. I wanted it to be anyone's fault but my own and in my head you were the only one left to blame. You have no idea how many times I wish I could go back in time again just to slug myself for what I said to you."

"Clint, don't go talking like that," she breathed into his chest. "You're making yourself sound way too good right now."

"That a bad thing?" he asked with a dry chuckle. "Hell, I like being a good guy."

"It's just dangerous," she whispered. "Why didn't you tell me any of this before?"

"Because I'm bad at sorting things out in my own head," he answered. "Because I'm kind of dumb like that, not to mention a hypocrite. You know that when the fleet of those Skrulls came and one impersonated you I believed her? I asked her about the miscarriage and she knew and... and when I found out it wasn't really her I killed her without even thinking about it. I was so fucking mad. I thought I had you back and she toyed with my heart. I told myself it was okay, because she wasn't human but I was angry enough to kill a sentient being, someone who was just following orders, just because she'd tricked me into thinking I had you back. How could I do something like that and still blame you for letting Phantom Rider die?"

"So instead of saying any of this to me, you started to date Jessica instead?" she asked. "God, Clint. You are so good at running away, you know that?"

"Yeah. It's my super power apparently," he said. "Katie told me the same thing, though at least it encouraged me to see I could still fix some stuff."

"Yeah, that kid seems alright. She certainly does remind me of you too."

"She's gonna make an excellent Hawkeye, though I hope she doesn't do half the crap I do."

"Here's hoping," she said before she suddenly laughed and he glanced at her in confusion. He honestly didn't see what was so funny here.

"What?" he asked.

"Just... this," Bobbi replied as she waved her hand vaguely. "All the stuff that has happened to us over the years. The misunderstandings, the pride keeping us apart, and the stupid fights. We've always been passionate, sometimes too much for our own good. The both of us, from the very moment we met have been so damn stupid and yet how many times do we just go and get together?"

"It's only been three times now we hooked up," he stated. "Not terribly crazy."

"Three?" she asked him. "There's two. I count the time I proposed to you and then when we tried to get back together a year ago."

"Oh... yeah," he said as his shoulders slumped. "I guess back with the West Coast Avengers don't count... since that was just another Skrull."

"Why would you even think that counted?" she asked him, sounding annoyed. She couldn't be too pissed though since she was still laying against him.

He squirmed a bit under her and sighed softly. How to explain it?

"She wasn't you... but for the longest damn time it felt like she was," he admitted. "Until you came back, I thought you were dead, birdie. I thought I'd lost you. I mean... you know about the fight with Mephisto, right?"

"I was debriefed. Higher ups seemed to think I needed to know why there was a tombstone with my name on it," she replied dryly. "Mephisto fought the West Coast Avengers and she died."

"Yeah, but she died for me," Clint whispered. "She took the hit for me but there was no reason for it. If I'd died it would have been one less Avenger to worry about. I thought she was you, right up until the end. I held her in my arms while she claimed one last time to love me and... to this day I can't figure out if she really did or not. If it was just her assignment to pretend to be you what sense was there in her dying for me? Were her feelings for me real? I don't even know her actual name, and to me it was always you... but... Fuck, never mind. I don't even know where I'm going with this. I really need to go to bed."

"Alright," she said and stood up before she helped him get off the couch as well. His arm slung over her shoulder, she led him up the stairs and to his bed to lay him down on his mattress. It took only an instant before he was out like a light and slept like the dead.

#-#

When Clint woke up, he still felt groggy and sore but better than before. He gave a loud yawn and a stretch, incredibly happy when his back popped. Yes, that helped. He felt much better now. Amazing what sleep could do for a guy.

He rolled over and snuggled up to the warm body next to him, pulling her close before he realized he should have been alone. In an instant he was wide awake and jerked back, nearly falling off the bed before Bobbi's hand caught the neck of his shirt to save him from the edge of the mattress.

"Finally awake?" she asked, a small smile on her face. She was still in his robe but she was dried off from what he could see.

"Bobbi? What are you still doing here?" he asked as he scooted back onto the bed. "How long was I out?"

"About seven hours or so," she informed him. "It's only six."

"And... about you being here?" he asked again.

"I didn't want to leave," she said with a little shrug. "You don't look like you've been sleeping as much you should so I stuck around to make sure some losers in track suits didn't bother you again. Don't worry. Nothing happened."

"Well that's something," the archer mused. "I didn't expect you to play bodyguard though, Bobbi. You didn't have to."

"You should know by now I do things because I want to, not because I have to," she assured him before she leaned over and gave him a light peck on the forehead, careful not to touch anywhere he was still bandaged up. "You probably haven't eaten since before you went to bed, have you? Want me to make you something to eat?"

"Bobbi," he said just as she got out of the bed. This was really starting to confuse him. "What is going on here?"

"I told you. I don't want to leave," she said. "Isn't that simple?"

"We're anything but simple," he stated. "When you say you don't want to leave... there's a lot in that, you know? Maybe I'm just suffering under a concussion but I think I need it spelled out for me. This is just you talking about dinner, maybe sleeping over and making sure no bad guys do bad guy things? If that's the case I can take care of it, or at least take the couch if you're going to insist."

She actually paused for a second before slipping the robe off her body and tossing it to the bed. Clint probably shouldn't have looked but it's not like he didn't know what she looked like naked, and she would have at least turned around if she'd wanted some privacy. He watched her dress like some oddly sexual reverse strip tease, putting on her panties and bra before pulling her dress on over her head and letting it fall into place over her body. A body he knew very intimately, though the sudden reminder had been nicer than he wanted to admit.

"I don't like the thought of you getting hurt for this," she informed him. "I don't know all the details but you're keeping them safe, and to be honest that's all I need. You could tell me that evil mice from Mars wanted to take over this place for cheese storage and I'd still hate the thought of you handling it alone."

"It's nothing weird like that," he assured her. "Just some mobsters trying to throw out good people for no reason. I bought the building to keep it from happening, though the transaction was by force. They didn't take kindly to it and it's been this weird turf war every since."

"They're going to try to kill you, or someone else then?" she asked him.

"That's what they've said. I have to stick around and keep them safe. It's the right thing to do."

"Well that's why I'm staying," she said, running a hand through her now loose hair. "You're a sweet guy, and a hero. What kind of woman would I be if I didn't back you up?"

"You have other obligations," he pointed out.

"W.A.C. fell apart after you left. I couldn't hold it together on my own. I would have messed it up further if I'd forced the issue, and I don't want to go back to S.H.I.E.L.D. Right now all I have is the Avengers business and that's all. Honestly, I think I'm fine being done with the super spy thing. I'm no good at the balancing act of my family and work, so I pushed a lot of things to the side. Mom, my brother... you. You know what though, I don't think a single person dies thinking to themselves, 'I wish I had spent more time at the office than with my family.' You know?"

He wasn't sure what to say to that. Honestly, he didn't even know if there was something to say. It really seemed like she'd come to regret the choices she'd made. He wasn't sure why though. Had she been feeling this way for a while, or was this just because she'd learned about him trying to help his neighbors? Had her soft spot for him suddenly come back?

"It's not that I don't appreciate the offer, and I have room..." he said slowly. "This is long term then?"

"I'd want to take it one day at a time, but I won't leave when you still have work here to do unless you asked me to. I don't stay where I'm not wanted, you know that."

"I guess having my ex live with me wouldn't be the dumbest thing I'd done so far," he chuckled before he shrugged. "It's just confusing me why the sudden change. You came here to get the divorce finalized and now you want to be room mates to kick the crap out of thugs?"

"Yes."

"Why though?"

"When you said that you count the Skrull girl who was impersonating me for a while, why was that?" she asked him. She didn't move closer to him or leave the bedroom, just watched him with curiosity. He could tell she seemed a bit guarded though, like the answer would mean more to her than she wanted to let on.

"Because I thought she was you," he said. The answer felt awkward on his tongue, like it was too simple an explanation but it was all he really had.

"She wasn't though, and you know that now," she said. "However she might have felt about you, she had my face. You were with someone who lied to you, who had you in a relationship under false pretenses, had sex with you because of those lies. It's the same thing that happened to me. Do you see it like that?"

"You mean, do I feel like she raped me?" he asked as he hung his head. "Bobbi... you're going to hit me if I answer this. I just know you are."

"Just tell me. Please," she pressed, though her tone was gentle.

"I... Alright. Yes, I do see it like that but I'm not in anyway mad about it and I never have been. I mean, when I had found out if she were still alive then I probably would have wrung her neck but..."

"But what?"

"I didn't know she wasn't you," he explained as he laid back in the bed and stared up at the ceiling. "When she came back to me, when she told me she didn't want the divorce, when I held her in my arms as she died... I thought it was you. I thought I'd had you and lost you all over again. It might not have been real for her, but it was real for me. It's stupid, I know, but it's true. Even if it was a lie, my feelings of relief at having you back were real. It was a damn lie and I know if you had been living with some fake Clint Barton you would have been pissed as hell but I just can't be."

"You think I'd hit you over that? Really?" she asked him.

"Sort of, I guess," he admitted. "It does kind of make it sound like I was replacing you, and that I was sort of okay with her using me because it meant something to me it shouldn't have."

"Not on purpose."

"Mmm," he murmured noncommittally.

"I've spent way too much time angry at you if you think I'm going to fly off the handle over things like that," she sighed before she sat back down on the bed. "Not that I haven't give you reason to. I've been a bitch at times, at least as many times as you've been an ass. No, definitely more. I never told you what had happened to me. Of course you didn't believe me when I told you Phantom Rider just fell off that ledge and I didn't kill him. I was obviously hiding it from you and why would you have trusted me after that? We were both acting like self-righteous, nose in the air morons back then. Then we had a chance to fix it and I blew it. I did the same thing all over again. I kept things from you. I assumed you wouldn't trust me anyway so I kept things about the W.C.A. and myself away from you and it all fell apart because I was too damn arrogant. I really did think lies were better than honesty."

"You put a lot of blame on yourself," he noted.

"Yeah, well we both screwed it up. I know you didn't just cut and run. I did," she said. "Jessica does not know what the fuck she is talking about when it comes to you. You tried real damn hard to stick around. I was the one who was making it impossible for you to be around me. She's a great fighter and I'm not going to get all bitchy on her, but she pushed herself into a situation that was delicate and we weren't sure yet if we wanted to fix or abandon. I don't know why she expected you to be the knight in shining armor when we both have broken each other so many times."

"Yeah, I guess we are kind of damaged goods," he replied. "So let me ask you something."

"Shoot."

He chuckled at the lame joke, feeling himself smile. This conversation felt a bit awkward but it was also incredibly freeing. They should have said a lot of this stuff a while ago.

"Knowing what you know now, if you could go back and change it, would you?"

"What do you mean?" she asked softly.

"You could have just stayed a simple S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. If you'd never met me, or hell never chased me down and proposed to me, you probably wouldn't have been involved in half the messes you were drug into involving the Avengers. Would you go back and knock yourself over the head before you even heard the name Hawkeye?"

"You mean, never marry you? Never spend the happiest years of my life with the man I love more than life itself? What do you think?" she asked him as she turned a bit to face him. He couldn't help but notice the word love. Not loved. Not past tense. As in it was still there. She still felt that way.

Bad thoughts. Shit, very bad thoughts.

"I should probably go ahead and get dinner myself," he said as he sat up and made to move downstairs. "I have some Chinese food and pizza. There's also some frozen meals if you want something more healthy."

"Clint," she called, stopping him in his tracks. "What about you? Would you take it all back if you could."

"No. Not a god damn minute of it," he breathed as he looked over at her. He knew his expression was too open, too sad and full of regret and he was painting himself up as a big target, but when he looked at her he saw the exact same thing on her face.

He wasn't sure who moved first, if she jumped at him and he moved to catch her or if it was the other way around. All he knew is one second they had been looking into each others eyes and the next they were tangled up in each other, mouths locked and their hands gripping the other hero so hard it hurt.

"Ow. Shit, shit, shit," he hissed as she squeezed his shoulder, right where he'd been kicked several times in his last fight.

"Oh! Sorry, I didn't-"

"Don't worry about it," he hissed out before he tore his shirt off and pulled her against him again to kiss her. She was much more careful this time, touching him in places where it didn't hurt, though sadly there wasn't many of those spots available.

"You know, I can't help but think we both get very stupid and do things way too fast around one another," he murmured as he lowered her to the bed. "That just me?"

"I was the one who said I want to stay," she told him. "What does that tell you?"

"I still don't get that honestly."

"Clint. You're going to make me say it, aren't you?"

"Considering you said you regret not being honest with me, this would be a nice place to start."

It occurred to him he had her in his bed and very close to doing something stupid. He certainly wanted to, but he had to make sure it was the right call first. He could handle it if she wanted to stay to reminisce or make up for past mistakes, or if she was just here to fight the bad guys with him and his body was just her reward. Heck, women could have that fantasy if men could. At least he thought so. He could even handle it if she wanted to be crazy and start this relationship thing again, but he wanted to know what it was first.

"Technically the papers are signed, but we're not officially divorced until I take them to the court house. It's pretty last minute chance to try again but... Clint, I didn't want to lose you. I screwed up, and I was too wrapped up in my own mess to let you help me. I wanted to try again but Jessica and you..."

"Yeah. I know," he whispered. He'd probably allowed that to happen too soon, but he'd wanted so damn bad to feel wanted. Bobbi had needed to clear up her own head first before a relationship could have been possible and she wouldn't take his help so he'd forced it on her in the dumbest ways, exposing her mother and family, putting them in harm's way. When some interest had been thrown his way by Spider-Woman he'd leaped on it like a starving man. It wasn't that he didn't care about her but he probably should have been responsible enough to know better than to dive right into the rebound.

Even though technically he was probably doing the same thing here, only now Bobbi and Jessica were reversed.

"You need help against this mess," she said as she held his face in her hands. He felt her thumbs trace just on the edge of his bandages and he actually felt guilty when she looked so worried about him. "You're trying real hard to be a good guy, I can tell. You are a good guy. You always do this, take on this heat alone, sacrifice yourself so you can save others. You went nearly deaf just to save me. Clint, if you don't have someone watching your back you'll end up hurt or killed."

"I could use a partner for that, but a wife might be a bit much," he admitted even when a voice in the back of his head was screaming at him to shut the fuck up and take her offer if it meant a chance to have her again.

"Papers are still signed. I can turn them in any time you want if this gets screwed up again," she offered, though it was easy to tell it was not what she wanted.

He paused for a second before he sighed and suddenly sat up.

"No. We can't do this," he said, shaking his head. "Not like this."

The hurt on her face was evident, but he made himself ignore it as he got up. Her purse was nearby and he snatched up the papers from out of it before he tore them in half and dropped them carelessly to the floor.

"Clint. What the hell?" Bobbi snapped as she sat up. "I thought you just said we couldn't do this."

"We can't, not with those damn papers hanging over my head. Some damn ink and a cab ride to the court house was all that was standing between us and giving up. It's too thin a string. Now if we know later we've got to just admit defeat we'll honestly have to work for it, instead of just making a stupid snap decision we both know we'll only regret later."

"That is the most stupid and romantic thing you've done since insisting we get a honeymoon suite with a heart shaped tub," she breathed and he gave a roguish sort of grin.

"That tub got you pretty hot, as I recall," he said as he advanced on her. "This do the same thing?"

"Why don't you check for yourself, hotshot?" she challenged. The former spy reached out and grabbed the waist band of his pants to pull him closer before slipping them down past his hips, along with his boxers. He was already half hard from the idea of having her again and what she was doing was quickly helping him along.

"Bobbi..." the archer breathed out as she ran her hands over his hips, tracing her fingers against the hollow of his joints before she leaned in and drug her tongue against his member. He had to try very hard not to buck at the wet feeling of her tongue, and just let her take her time with him.

Her licks were long and drawn out over his member, occasionally taking the head into her mouth and suckling softly. Pants already filled the room from him as she slowly worshiped him with her mouth, dragging her mouth slowly over his cock until her tongue ran along the underside of his balls, even taking the flesh partially into her mouth and sucking hard.

"Shit!" he cried out, gripping her hair in his fists. He felt oddly scared and terribly turned on at the moment, a state she put him into all too easily. "Easy there, birdie. Tender equipment you're working with there. You go straight for the kill this is going to be over way too soon."

"Mmmm. Sorry. I'm just too eager," she confessed to him and kissed at his stomach. "Just relax, okay? I'll make you feel great."

"Y-yes, ma'am," he whimpered as she began to stroke him. It didn't sound terribly manly of him but she was jacking him off so expertly he really couldn't find himself caring. He watched with rapt attention as her wrist turned a bit and she twisted him just enough to make him grind into her hand. She was smiling up at him and looking like an angel to his eyes, the same look she'd had when they'd made love for the first time, ruining sheets in a cheesy love hotel as they moved against each other for hours. She reveled in making him weak in the knees, took as much as she gave in the bedroom and always made sure they didn't stop until they were both completely satisfied. "God, Bobbi. I... I love... I love this."

"What else do you love?" she purred before she traced her tongue over the tip of his erection. He swallowed hard and suddenly yanked her up and kissed her. He could tell he had surprised her by the way she tensed against him but she slowly relaxed and melted in his embrace.

"I love you," he breathed softly as he played with the hem of her dress. She helped him pull it off her body and removed the underwear she'd only just put back on as he kicked his pants off. Climbing over her as she scooted back on the bed, he hugged her and sucked on her bottom lip as she mewled softly for him.

"I love you too, Clint," she whispered. "I'll love you forever."

"Thank god," he sighed before he pushed into her.

The lovemaking was sweet and slow, exactly what he needed. His body was bruised and hurt all over, but to be honest so were his emotions. He needed this, something slow and tender that was just him and her and nothing else. No Avengers, no fucked up past mistakes, no worries he'd die tomorrow or lose her somehow, just the two of them in this room making the other one feel loved and incredible. He whispered so many things to her, how he treasured and love her, how he didn't want to ever let go again, how stupid he'd been for ever walking away and how he'd never do it again. She cooed and cried out and promised it all back to him, that this was a fresh start and she loved him too and she'd never push him away.

It didn't matter how hard it would be in the morning, how many things they had to fix, it was a perfect moment to him.

"We never did eat anything," she reminded him gently as they laid in bed, the blanket wrapped around the both of them though he could feel all of her naked skin from where she was curled up next to him.

"Yeah. No energy to cook now though," he admitted. "Wonder if Grills is up."

"Who?"

"A neighbor, tenant. He cooks on the roof all the time. Pretty cool guy. You should meet him."

"Mmmm, tomorrow I think," she groaned happily. "I'm feeling too boneless to trek all the way up to the roof."

"I think I can manage that at least," he said as he sat up. He stretched out and let his back pop in a satisfying manner before kissing her on the nose. "We're not just making the same mistake again, are we?"

"I don't think so," she whispered as she looked up at him. She trailed her fingers over his stomach, her expression soft and serene. "This time we know better."

"Yeah," he agreed before he went to get dressed, pulling his pants and shoes on before throwing on his shirt and jacket. "You go ahead and relax. I'll be back in a bit, honey."

Clint Barton wasn't exactly a guy who always made the wisest decisions, he knew that. Hell, he might have brought a gang war to this little building just trying to help out. He certainly didn't always think things through and he'd had enough moments to look back and call himself an idiot, but he also had a lot of really good times too. He always got pulled back to Bobbi like a magnet, and this time he was determined to make it stick.

First though, he was going to get some hotdogs from Grills for the both of them. With any luck it would give them energy for round two.

End

**Author's Note:**

> Well, that was a lot of fun to write. Like I said before, this could just be a one shot or I might continue it, but I left it wrapped up here just in case I don't go any farther with it.
> 
> I really love Bobbi and Clint, because no matter what happens they always seem eager to move on and try and fix it between them. Honestly, they're both too wrapped up in each other to ever really be content with anyone else. Very first thing Clint did when he started to get feelings for Jessica was go right around and talk to his ex-wife about it. The comic Hawkeye and Mockingbird was actually supposed to continue way longer past the six issues it had and I think if it had been allowed it would have been used to cement their relationship into something lasting. This is clearly what the writers of the comic wanted, but sadly it was left to the wayside because marketing and editors felt it was better for them to break up despite the several times they've talked out their issues. Sadly it's the same thing that led to One More Day with Peter and MJ, because a lot of people on the creative team think once the relationship is finalized there's no more story to tell, even though it is only the beginning for these two characters together and there are still plenty of ideas to explore.
> 
> Well, as much as those two yo-yo, I'm sure they'll get back together eventually.
> 
> Quick point before anyone mentions the Skrull identiy thing. Yes, I am aware that the Skrull agents thought themselves the actual people, that it was a big plot point in Secret Invasion... but I'm pretty much ignoring it. Personally myself, I thought it was silly and I didn't much understand the reason for it. One, how could you ensure they would be doing what the invasion team wanted if they had no clear objective and just did whatever they wanted instead of manipulating things in order to go well for the invasion? Two, it was a good way to ensure the Skrulls would have traitors amongst their ranks because if these aliens thought they were heroes they'd fight back against the people they're supposed to help. Three, when they were revealed to be Skrulls they were too shocked to fight back and got wiped out. It was silly. I know the official reason H'rpra (Skrull Bobbi in West Coast Avengers) died for Clint is because she thought she was Bobbi, but I like the idea better of gaining the memories of the woman she was impersonating eventually did influence her feelings for Hawkeye and she fell in love with him. Seriously, that's dramatic and kind of sad too, and he would never know entirely for sure.
> 
> All that rambling out of the way, I would love some reviews to hear what you guys think. Good as a one shot, should there be more of this, just liked the sweetness of Bobbi and Clint? Comments always help and make my day better. Thanks.


End file.
